Evaluation of Iowa s Graduated Driver s Licensing Program

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1 Evaluation of Iowa s Graduated Driver s Licensing Program Final Report September 2007 Sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation (CTRE Project ) Iowa State University s Center for Transportation Research and Education is the umbrella organization for the following centers and programs: Bridge Engineering Center Center for Weather Impacts on Mobility and Safety Construction Management & Technology Iowa Local Technical Assistance Program Iowa Traffic Safety Data Service Midwest Transportation Consortium National Concrete Pavement Technology Center Partnership for Geotechnical Advancement Roadway Infrastructure Management and Operations Systems Statewide Urban Design and Specifications Traffic Safety and Operations

2 About CTRE/ISU The mission of the Center for Transportation Research and Education (CTRE) at Iowa State University is to develop and implement innovative methods, materials, and technologies for improving transportation efficiency, safety, and reliability while improving the learning environment of students, faculty, and staff in transportation-related fields. Disclaimer Notice The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein. The opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the sponsors. The sponsors assume no liability for the contents or use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The sponsors do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. Non-discrimination Statement Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, (515)

3 Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient s Catalog No. CTRE Project Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Evaluation of Iowa s Graduated Driver s Licensing Program September Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Shauna L. Hallmark, Debbie Witt, and David Veneziano 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Center for Transportation Research and Education Iowa State University 11. Contract or Grant No South Loop Drive, Suite 4700 Ames, IA Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Iowa Department of Transportation Final Report 800 Lincoln Way 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Ames, IA Supplementary Notes Visit for color PDF files of this and other research reports. 16. Abstract This project evaluated the effectiveness of the Iowa Graduated Driver s Licensing (GDL) program in reducing crashes for teenage drivers during a four-year period before and after implementation of GDL. The report presents a review of the literature on teenage drivers, crash rates, and graduated driver s licensing programs around the country, followed by an analysis of teenage drivers and crash risk before and after implementation of GDL in Iowa. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement crash risk graduated driver s licensing teenage drivers No restrictions. 19. Security Classification (of this report) 20. Security Classification (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified. Unclassified. 56 NA Form DOT F (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

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5 EVALUATION OF IOWA S GRADUATED DRIVER S LICENSING PROGRAM Final Report September 2007 Principal Investigator Shauna L. Hallmark Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Iowa State University Research Assistants Debbie Witt David Veneziano Authors Shauna L. Hallmark, Debbie Witt, and David Veneziano Preparation of this report was financed in part through funds provided by the Iowa Department of Transportation through its research management agreement with the Center for Transportation Research and Education, CTRE Project A report from Center for Transportation Research and Education Iowa State University 2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700 Ames, IA Phone: Fax:

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7 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... IX EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... XI 1. CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG DRIVER CRASHES Time of Day Risk Taking Behavior of Younger Drivers Passengers Seatbelt Use GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSING Description of GDL General Effectiveness of GDL in Other States or Countries Compliance with GDL Restrictions (Surveys from Other States) Effectiveness of Specific Components of GDL Programs DESCRIPTION OF IOWA S GDL PROGRAM...16 Full license EVALUATION OF IOWA GDL Crash Data Total Reduction in Crashes Changes in Crash Severity Changes in Alcohol/Drug Related Crashes EVALUATING YOUNGER DRIVER RISK Induced Exposure Over-involvement by Number of Passengers in the Vehicle Time of Day SCHOOL LICENSING SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES...40 v

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9 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 5.1. Number of occupants with 14-year-old drivers involved in crashes...28 Figure 5.2. Number of occupants with 15-year-old drivers involved in crashes...28 Figure 5.3. Number of occupants with 16-year-old drivers involved in crashes...29 Figure 5.4. Number of occupants with 17-year-old drivers involved in crashes...29 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1. Iowa s GDL program...18 Table 4.1. Crash rate by age group before implementation of GDL...21 Table 4.2. Crash rate by age group after implementation of GDL...21 Table 4.3. Drivers involved in crashes with at least one fatality...23 Table 4.4. Fatalities per 1,000 licensed drivers before and after GDL...23 Table 4.5. Drivers involved in crashes with at least one injury and no fatalities...24 Table 4.6. Injury crashes per 1,000 licensed drivers before and after GDL...24 Table 4.7. Number of drivers involved in crashes With BAC Table 5.1. Induced exposure by number of occupants for 14-year-olds...30 Table 5.3. Induced exposure by number of occupants for 16-year-olds...31 Table 5.4. Induced exposure by number of occupants for 17-year-olds...31 Table 5.5. Induced exposure by number of occupants for 35- to 44-year-olds...31 Table 5.6. Induced exposure by time of day for 14-year-old drivers...32 Table 5.7. Induced exposure by time of day for 15-year-old drivers...32 Table 5.8. Induced exposure by time of day for 16-year-old drivers...32 Table 5.9. Induced exposure by time of day for 17-year-old drivers...33 Table 6.1. Crashes for 2002 and 2003 by type of license holder for 14- and 15-year-olds...35 Table 6.2. Sanctions and moving violations for 14- and 15-year-old drivers by license type for September 2004 to April vii

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11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research team wishes to thank the Iowa Department of Transportation for funding this project. In particular, we would like to thank Mr. Scott Falb and Dr. Michael Pawlovitch of the Iowa DOT for their assistance in completing the project. ix

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13 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This project evaluated the effectiveness of the Iowa Graduated Driver s License (GDL) program in reducing crashes for teenage drivers during a four year period before and after implementation of GDL. Some changes had occurred in the crash report form and in the way crashes are reported resulting in fewer reported crashes per year in the after period. In order to determine the effect of implementing the GDL program versus the effect due to changes in crash reporting or other unaccounted for trends, a method suggested by Hauer (1997) was used. This method compares the reduction in crashes for one population due to implementation of a certain strategy to changes in crashes for a static population that is not expected to be influenced by the strategy. Accordingly, the age group 35 to 44 was used as the static population. Since GDL is not likely to affect middle-aged drivers, this age group was assumed to be fairly static; the amount of reduction for middle aged drivers was assumed to represent the average that could be expected due to changes in crash reporting and in general downward trends in the number of crashes for all age groups. If teenage crashes decreased by the same amount as the middle-aged group, it could be assumed that there was no effect due to GDL, since any decreases would be attributed to other factors that affected all age groups. If teenage crashes decreased at a greater rate than the 35- to 44-year-old age group, the assumption could be made that the decrease was due to GDL. Crash rate per licensed driver was calculated for each age group for the before and after periods. The ratios of crash rate for each teenage driver age group to the 35 to 44 age group were also calculated and compared for the before and after periods. After implementation of GDL, the crash rate for all age groups was lower than in the before period. The 35- to 44- year-old age group had a 21.6% reduction in crashes from the before to after period (0.055 to crashes per licensed driver). All teenage groups experienced a greater decrease in crash rate than the 35- to 44-year-old age group, except for the 15 year-olds. The reduction in crash rate was the greatest for 14-year-olds. The crash rate was almost 43% lower in the after period and the ratio of the crash rate for that age group to the 35- to 44- year-old crash rate was 0.21 compared to a before ratio of The least reduction in crash rate from the before to after period was for 15 year-old drivers, with a reduction around 15%, which was lower than the reduction for middle-aged drivers. The ratio of crash rates for 15- year-olds as compared to 35- to 44-year-olds actually increased in the after period (0.53 after compared to 0.49 before). The crash rate for 16-year-olds was reduced by 30% and the ratio of their crash rate to 35- to 44-year-olds was lower (2.95 in the after period compared to 3.31 before). The 17-year-old age group experienced a slightly higher reduction in crashes (25%) than 35- to 44-year-olds. The ratio of the crash rate for 17-year-olds to the crash rate for 35- to 44-year-olds in the after period was also lower than in the before period (2.77 after compared to 2.80 before). The number of crashes in the after period that would be expected if each teenage driver group had the same reduction as the 35- to 44-year-old age group was calculated. The actual proportion of crashes to licensed drivers was compared to the proportion of expected crashes xi

14 by comparing differences between two population proportions. Results indicate that, at the 95% confidence interval, the rate of actual crashes to licensed drivers in the after period is statistically lower for the 14-year-old, 16-year-old, and 17-year-old age groups than the rate of crashes that would have been expected for those age groups if they had the same reduction as the 35- to 44-year-olds. The rate of actual crashes to licensed drivers for the 15-year-old age group is higher than the rate that would have been expected if the same reduction had occurred for that age group as occurred for the 35-to 44-year old age group; this result is statically significant at the 95% confidence interval. The fatal crash rate per 1,000 licensed drivers was also calculated for the before and after analysis periods for each age group. The fatal crash rate decreased for 14-year-olds, 16-yearolds, and 35- to 44-year-olds. All differences were statically significant at the 95% level of significance. Both the 14- and 16-year-olds had a greater decrease in fatal crash rate than the 35- to 44-year-old age group. Both the 15- and 17-year-old age groups had a slight increase in fatal crash rate per 1,000 licensed drivers. However, the differences were not statistically significant at the 95% level of significance. The injury crash rate per 1,000 drivers was also calculated for each age group using non-fatal injury crashes. The injury crash rate decreased for all age groups, except for the 17-year-old age group, from the before to after period. The 17-year-olds had a slight increase in injury crash rate (3%). All changes from the before to after period were statistically significant at the 95% level of significance. Only the 14- and 16-year-old age groups had a decrease that was greater than the decrease for 35- to 44-year-olds. A number of studies have indicated that younger drivers are disproportionately involved in certain situations. A relationship between crash risk for teenage drivers and the number of passengers (typically other teenagers) has been demonstrated in other studies. The impact of number of occupants was evaluated for each teenage driver group before and after implementation of GDL in Iowa. Some states restrict teen passengers or number of occupants. However, in Iowa there is no limitation on the number of teenage passengers or other passengers that can ride in a vehicle with a teenage driver. The number of occupants is limited only by the number of seatbelts in the vehicle. Drivers with instruction permits are required to have an adult licensed driver present in the vehicle with them unless they have a school license. Each person in the vehicle is counted as an occupant, including the driver. After GDL, the number of 14-year-old drivers involved in crashes with one occupant (i.e., driver only) decreased from 43% to 36% and the number with two or three occupants increased. This is as would be expected, since GDL requires 14-year-olds to drive with a licensed adult, although the age of other occupants is unknown. However, a large number of 14-year-olds who were involved in crashes were still driving alone, despite GDL restrictions. The number of 15-year-old drivers involved a crash who drove alone increased slightly (45% to 50%) after implementation of GDL, even though 15-year-olds are under the instruction permit and are required to have a licensed adult in the car unless they have a school license and are driving alone under the conditions of the school license. xii

15 For 16-year-olds involved in crashes, the number who drove alone decreased and the number with two occupants increased in the after period, even though most 16-year-olds are likely to be under an intermediate permit, which does not require an adult licensed driver. The number of occupants for 17-year-old drivers who were involved in a crash did not change significantly. The induced exposure method was used to evaluate whether drivers were more likely to be responsible for a crash based on the number of occupants in the vehicle. A discussion of the induced exposure method is described in Section 5.1. The crash involvement ratio was calculated for each age group for one occupant, two occupants, three occupants, and four or more occupants. Beyond the age of the driver, the age of other occupants is not available from the crash records. Only results for the after period are discussed in the executive summary. Fourteen-year-old drivers were more likely to be over-involved in crashes when they drove alone than were drivers in any other category. This suggests that additional benefits could be derived from restricting school licenses, which allow younger drivers to drive alone, and enforcing the requirement to have a licensed adult in the vehicle. In the after period, 15-yearold drivers were more likely to be over-involved in crashes with one or two occupants. Both the 16- and 17-year-old age groups were over-involved in crashes when there were four or more occupants in the vehicle. Although passenger age is unknown, this concurs with other studies indicating that the presence of several other teenage passengers creates a more risky situation for teenage drivers. Other studies have also suggested that teenage drivers are over-represented during evening hours. The crash involvement ratio was calculated for each teenage group for select time periods during the day, both before and after implementation of GDL. Only results for the after period are discussed here. The time periods where 14-year-olds had an elevated crash involvement were 11 AM to 1 PM, 10 PM to midnight, and 7 to 9 AM. The times that 15-year-olds were most likely to be overinvolved in crashes were midnight to 6 AM, 11 AM to 1 PM, and 7 to 9 AM. Sixteen-year-old drivers were the most over-involved in crashes from 5 to 8 PM, 8 to 10 PM, and 11 AM to 1 PM. Seventeen-year-old drivers had lower involvement ratios than other teenage groups overall. The times when they were more over-involved were midnight to 6 AM and 7 to 9 AM. The 11 AM to 1 PM time period may represent lunch trips by teenage drivers if schools have open campuses and the 7 to 9 AM period likely represents trips to school. As indicated, evening trips are still problematic, but school trips appear to be times when teenagers are over-involved in crashes The impact of the school permit, which allows teenage drivers to drive alone to school, school events, or work, was also examined. The percentage of school license holders per xiii

16 licensed driver was relatively constant for 14-year-olds and 16-year-olds from the before to after period. The percentage of school license holders compared to the number of licensed drivers for 15-year-olds, however, is increasing over time. The percentage of 15-year-old school license holders in December 1997 was 22.7%, compared to 30.0% in December Although it cannot be quantified, this may help explain why 15 year-old drivers did not seem to benefit from implementation of the GDL program in Iowa. The number of crashes by 14- and 15-year-old drivers was further analyzed for 2002 and 2003 by license type. Only 6.0% of 14-year-old drivers held a school license during that time period, but they were involved in almost 31% of the crashes where license status was known for that age group. This indicates that they were more than seven times more likely to be involved in a crash than 14-year-olds who were operating under a regular instruction license. Only 28.4% of 15-year-old drivers held a school license, but they were involved in almost 71.1% of the crashes where license type was known for that age group. As a result, 15-yearold drivers with school permits were more than 6.2 times more likely to be involved in a crash than 15-year-olds who were operating under a regular instruction license. Information about sanctions and moving violation convictions was also obtained for 14- and 15-year-old drivers for the most recent 6 month period (September 2004 to April 2005). Fourteen- and 15-year-old school license holders were 7.7 times more likely to have one or more sanctions than their peers with regular instruction permits. They were also 4.8 times more likely to receive one or more moving violations. Future improvements to the GDL program in Iowa may include reconsidering the school license, enforcing the restrictions of the school license, restricting the number of teenage passengers in the vehicle, and expanding nighttime driving restrictions. This is based on results of the research, which indicate that these are problematic situations for young drivers. xiv

17 1. CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG DRIVER CRASHES Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people 15 to 20 years of age, representing about one-third of all fatalities in this age group. In addition, drivers in this age group make up only 7% of the driving population but are involved in 14% of all traffic fatalities (NHTSA 2003). Crash rates are dramatically higher for young drivers than for older drivers. In the United States in 1995, the crash rate per million miles driven for 16- to 19-year-olds was more than double the rate for drivers in their 20s and more than four times the rate for drivers ages The crash rate for 16- and 17-year-olds is particularly troubling; 16-year-old drivers were involved in 34.5 crashes per million miles, compared with 20.2 for 17-year-olds, 13.8 for 18- year-olds, and 12.8 for 19-year-olds (Williams 2001). Ulmer et al. (1997) examined the NHTSA s General Estimate System (1993) for 16-year-old drivers and compared their crash involvement to other teenagers and older drivers. Crash involvement per 1,000 drivers was highest for 16-year-olds, followed by 17 year-olds. The proportion of property damage crashes was consistent among all teenage drivers, while the proportion of fatal crashes involving a single vehicle was the highest for 16 year-olds and then decreased as age increased. Sixteen-year-old drivers were more likely to be involved in single-vehicle crashes and in crashes from 6 PM to midnight; they were more likely to have been charged with a moving violation and to have been responsible for the crash. They were also more likely to be accompanied by other teen passengers than 17-, 18-, or 19-year-olds. Ulmer et al. estimated that 71% of 16-year-olds involved in a crash were responsible for the crash, followed by 65% for 17-year-olds, 62% for 18-year-olds, 58% for 19-year-olds, 55% for 20- to 24-year-olds, and 47% for ages 25 to 49. Williams et al. (1997) evaluated fatal crash involvement for 15-year-old drivers for states that require learner s permits for 15-year-olds. Most 15-year olds involved in fatal crashes either did not hold a learner s permit (57%), or if they had a permit (60%) were not supervised. Crashes with 15-year-old drivers typically were single vehicle crashes, occurred late at night (between midnight and 6 AM), and had a number of passengers present in the car. Driving factors that contributed to 15-year-old fatal crashes included speeding and failure to drive in the proper lane. Drivers who were either not licensed or were unsupervised if they held a permit were more likely to be at fault in a crash. The also found few fatal crashes for drivers who were supervised as required by state law. Compared to older drivers, younger people are more likely to drive at excessive speeds, follow too closely, violate traffic signs and signals, overtake other vehicles in a risky manner, allow too little time to merge, and fail to yield to pedestrians. Younger drivers are also more likely to put themselves in danger because of risk taking and their reduced ability to handle complex situations. In addition, younger drivers are more likely to be in single-vehicle crashes and crashes involving speeding or driver error. A typical crash scenario involves running off the road and not being able to recover adequately (Williams, 2001). 1

18 In order to combat the number and severity of fatal crashes, a number of states have implemented some form of graduated drivers licensing (GDL) program. A graduated licensing process allows younger drivers to learn the driving process in stages. A GDL also reduces a young driver s exposure to situations that are more hazardous for young drivers, such as driving late at night. The following sections describe characteristics of young driver crashes, as reported in the literature, and discuss the success of GDL programs in other states. 1.1 Time of Day While only about 15% of the total miles driven by 16- to17-year-old drivers occur between 9 PM and 6 AM, about 40% of fatal crashes take place during these hours, according to research by Lin and Fearn (2003). Using national data obtained prior to the enactment of GDL systems, a University of North Carolina study (2000) found that 80% of 16-year-old-driver nighttime crashes occurred between the hours of 9 PM and midnight, while 73% of 17-yearold-driver nighttime crashes occurred from 9 PM to midnight (UNC 2000). The crash risk for 16- and 17-year-old drivers was nearly three times greater between 10 PM and midnight than during the daylight hours. Based on their study, the risk per mile driven is even greater after midnight, since most of the nighttime vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 16- and 17-year-olds occur before midnight. Ulmer et al. (1997) examined NHTSA s General Estimates System for 16-year-old drivers and found that 16-year-olds were more likely than other drivers to be involved in crashes from 6 PM to 12 AM. Williams et al. (1997) evaluated fatal crash involvement for 15-year-olds and 16-year-olds and found that fatal crashes for 15-year-olds were more likely to occur between midnight and 6 AM. Rice et al. (2004) evaluated how nighttime driving affected injury crash rates for young drivers in California, before implementation of GDL in 1998, and found that crash risk increased after 10 PM. Since younger drivers have a higher crash risk during late evening and early morning hours, general curfews that limit the nighttime activities of teenagers in the absence of adult supervision have been shown to reduce late night motor vehicle injury involving teenagers, even though the restrictions were not specifically developed or adopted as highway safety measures (Lin and Fearn 2003). 1.2 Risk Taking Behavior of Younger Drivers Adolescent impulsiveness is a natural behavior, but it results in poor driving judgment and high-risk behaviors, such as speeding, inattention, drinking and driving, and not using a seat belt. Peer pressure also often encourages risk taking (USDOT 2004). According to NHTSA, risk taking among adolescents appears to be a critical factor in explaining the high crash incidence. For example, younger drivers tend to accept narrower gaps when pulling out into traffic. In addition, they have been observed to have shorter following distances and to drive at higher speeds (Ferguson). 2

19 Another study found that young drivers are less able to maintain full attention to the driving task and less likely to take in the information they need from the driving environment (Memmer 2000). They are not as good as experienced drivers in scanning the environment and recognizing potential hazards while they are at a safe distance, and they lack the experience and maturity to make complicated driving decisions quickly. They tend to underestimate the danger of certain risky situations and overestimate the danger of others. Most novice drivers increased risk comes from inappropriate behavior, which includes deliberately taking risk actions, seeking stimulation, driving at high speeds, and driving while impaired. Risky choices result from poor risk perception and an inability to detect hazards, often coupled with overconfidence (Memmer 2000) 1.3 Passengers Crash risk for teenage drivers is associated with the number of passengers in the vehicle they are driving. Williams (2001) reported the results a study indicating that the presence of one passenger nearly doubles the fatal crash risk compared with driving alone. In another study, the fatal crash risk with two or more passengers was five times as high as driving alone. There is excess risk for young drivers with passengers both during the day and at night. The increased risk with passengers present is thought to be largely the result of distraction and risk-taking factors. In vehicles with several young passengers, there is often considerable verbal interaction, music playing, and sometimes physical interactions. Young people are in the beginning stages of driving and inattentiveness to the task can have serious consequences. Many examples provide subjective evidence of inducements to risk taking or showing off in multiple-occupancy crashes involving young people (Williams 2001). Crash risk for teenage drivers increases with one, two, three, or more passengers. The crash risk with three or more passengers is about four times greater than the crash risk when driving alone (NHTSA 2003). The increased crash risk exists for both daytime and nighttime crashes, although overall crash risk is much higher at night. In one study, death rates from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM were 1.74 times higher with passengers present than without passengers. During the daytime, rates were 1.77 times higher (Williams 2003). Teens are more likely than older drivers to be involved in fatal crashes when other passengers are in the car (Williams, 2003). Preusser et al. (1998) evaluated fatal crash drivers of passenger vehicles identified in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for the period Each driver was categorized either as being alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash or as having one or more passengers. Drivers at fault or responsible for crash occurrence were defined as all drivers involved in a single-vehicle crash, or drivers in multiple-vehicle crashes who were coded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System as committing one or more driver errors. The results indicated that passenger presence was associated with proportionately more atfault fatal crashes for drivers aged 24 and younger, was a neutral factor for drivers aged 25 29, and was associated with fewer at-fault involvements for drivers aged 30 and older. Relative risk of fatal crash involvement was particularly high for teenage drivers traveling, day or night, with two or more teenage passengers. 3

20 Rice et al. (2003) evaluated injury crash rates for young drivers in California prior to enactment of GDL and found that crash risk increased when young drivers carried three or more young passengers with at least one male. Lam (2003) studied New Zealand crashes where one or more occupant was fatally injured or hospitalized. Results indicated that drivers under the age of 25 with two or more passengers were more likely to be injured in a crash than unaccompanied drivers. None of the studies provided information about how often young drivers travel alone versus traveling with other passengers in the vehicle. Consequently, the amount of travel with or without passengers could not be used as a measure of exposure. 1.4 Seatbelt Use McCartt and Northrup (2004) examined seatbelt use for fatally-injured teenage drivers (16 to 19 years old) from 1995 to They found that average belt use was 36% for fatally injured teenage drivers and 23% for fatally injured teenage passengers. They found a significant correlation between states with primary seat belt laws. They also found a lower rate of seatbelt use for: male teenage drivers; teenage drivers of SUVs, vans, and pickups; teenage drivers of older vehicles; and teenage drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.10 or higher. Additionally, in crashes involving teenage drivers, the researchers found a lower rate of seatbelt use among teenage drivers in: crashes that occurred late at night, crashes that occurred on rural roadways, and single vehicle crashes. Seat belt use for teenage drivers also decreased as the number of teenage passengers increased. 4

21 2. GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSING 2.1 Description of GDL All young drivers start out with very little knowledge or understanding of all the complexities of driving a vehicle. Like any other skill, learning to drive well takes a good deal of time. Technical ability, good judgment, and experience are all needed to properly make the many continuous decisions that comprise the driving task. GDL programs attempt to make the driving task safer for young drivers in two ways. First, GDL programs allow younger drivers to learn the driving process in stages, providing them with opportunities to gain experience before being confronted with riskier driving situations. And second, driving restrictions keep new drivers out of specific situations that are hazardous (Foss and Goodwin 2003). Specific aspects of GDL to reduce crashes for young drivers are discussed in the following sections. GDL allows young drivers to gain driving experience in controlled, lower-risk circumstances by enforcing guidelines such as nighttime driving restrictions, passenger limitations, required restraint use for all occupants, and license sanctions that begin at a lower threshold (e.g., first conviction for a serious violation) (NHTSA 2004). These exposure-reducing components work in two ways. First, they allow young drivers to learn gradually under conditions where mistakes or errors in judgment are less severe. Second, they serve as a motivating factor for teens to study for tests, drive safely, and avoid risks in the first place (NHTSA 2004). Placing limits on teens mobility may reduce driving exposure, but driving proficiency can be improved through measures that emphasize getting teens behind the wheel to practice. These components encourage the intermediate licensee to make safe driving decisions while driving to reduce risk. They include the following: Multi-level instruction coupled with multi-level testing (giving inexperienced drivers the opportunity to first learn and then practice the basics before moving on to learning and practicing more advanced skills) Parental guidance Driver improvement courses Delayed re-testing after failure (NHTSA 2004) Graduated driver licensing not only helps the novice driver better cope with risks, but also enhances the motivation to drive safely and "play by the rules." Restrictions are lifted as rewards for good driving, and sanctions are imposed for violations. For young drivers, the worst sanction may be the delay that keeps them in an earlier stage longer, while their peers advance to the next level of licensure. By making relief from restrictions contingent upon a good driving record, graduated driver licensing provides incentive to drive safely (NHTSA 2004). 5

22 2.2 General Effectiveness of GDL in Other States or Countries GDL programs have been initiated in a number of states. Initial declines following enactment of GDL programs reflect the combined effects of several factors, only some of whose benefits can be expected to continue. First, there is typically a rush by some young people to become licensed just before GDL takes place. Second, during the initial years of GDL, there is usually a reduction in the amount of driving that teenagers do compared to pre-gdl, due to driving restrictions such as nighttime driving. Since the amount of driving done by teens after implementation of GDL is lower, it is expected that fewer crashes would occur, due to decreased exposure. As this temporary phenomenon works its way through the younger driving population, the enduring benefits of GDL become more apparent. In Florida, for example, the GDL system was implemented in separate pieces rather than as a comprehensive system. As a result of that approach, there was no roll-in, or period during which a combination of factors affected the younger driver population. In 2000, an examination of the effect of these changes found a decline of 9% in fatal and injury crashes among 15- to 17-year-old drivers (UNC 2000). The GDL concept was introduced in the 1970s and 1980s through provisional licensing and demonstration programs in Maryland, California, and Oregon. These systems were not threephase GDL programs, but did include some of the GDL features. New Zealand is credited with having implemented the first three-phase GDL program in For some of the programs, only a brief outline of the results has been published. This section presents descriptions of four programs implemented in other states and countries in chronological order, along with a summary of published results regarding their effectiveness. Maryland Maryland instituted a provisional licensing program in January Under this program, teens were eligible for a learner s permit three months before their 16th birthday. The learner s permit was valid for three months and supervision was required at all times by a licensed driver who was at least 21 years old. If a driver was at least 16 years of age, a provisional license could be issued, provided that the learner s permit had been in effect for at least 14 days and the applicant had successfully completed driver education and passed an on-road performance test. With the provisional license, driving was restricted between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM, unless accompanied by an adult. When a driver reached his/her 18th birthday or accumulated six months of conviction-free driving with a provisional license, the driver applied for a regular license (NHTSA 2004). Maryland changed from the provisional licensing program to The Rookie Driver: Graduated Licensing System, on July 1, 1999, because the initial GDL program was not as effective as they had hoped. The laws from the new program apply to all non-commercial driver s license applicants, regardless of age, who have never held a license in Maryland or any other state or country, or who have held their out-of-state/out-of-country license for fewer than 18 months. The program requires novice drivers to gain more driving experience with a supervising driver and gradually move up through the licensing process until full license status is 6

23 achieved. Under the graduated licensing system, non-commercial license applicants, who have never held a driver s license, must progress through three licensing levels: Level 1 = Learner s permit Level 2 = Provisional license Level 3 = Full license Maryland now issues two types of learner s permits. A Type 1 learner s permit is issued to persons who are applying for their first driver s license, with the following restrictions: Applicants must be at least 15 years and 9 months of age. Applicants under age 18 require the consent (co-signature) of a parent or legal guardian. Applicants must pass a vision screening and a knowledge test. Type 1 learner s permits are valid for one year. Type 1 learner s permits must be held for at least a four-month conviction-free period before the applicant is eligible to test for a provisional license. (A conviction is a moving violation for which you are convicted or found legally guilty. If convicted, the four-month period restarts) A Type 2 learner s permit is issued to persons who currently hold or have previously held a driver s license and are now applying for a subsequent license, a license of a different class, or a license which requires additional driving capabilities (such as a commercial license, endorsements to operate vehicles which transport passengers, or to remove an air brake restriction). Conditions include the following: California Applicants must be at least 16 years and 1 month of age. Applicants under age 18 require the consent (co-signature) of a parent or guardian. Applicants must pass a vision screening and a knowledge test. Type 2 learner s permits are valid for six months. Type 2 learner s permits must be held at least 14 days before the applicant is eligible to test for a license. Applicants applying for a commercial driver s license must meet the age requirements (NHTSA 2004). In 1983, California implemented a GDL program and evaluated its effect on 16-and 17-yearolds. California emphasized parental involvement. Although teens could get a learner's permit at age 15, they could not get a provisional license until age 16 or a full adult license until age 17. Both driver education and driver training were required, and parents had to certify that the student had completed the required hours of driving practice (NHTSA 2004). 7

24 California s GDL became a law, rather than a program, in July of 1998 and is known for being one of the toughest laws of its kind in the United States. California has the country s first and most stringent passenger restriction (no passengers under age 20 for the first 6 months). It also has a one year nighttime driving restriction (midnight to 5 am). The California learner s permit is issued for six months, during which time the driver must accumulate 40 hours of driving time with a parent. Five years after the initiation of the California s GDL program, a report issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles found that the licensing system contributed to a 5.3% reduction in the rate of crashes involving drivers ages (NHTSA 2004). Since that time, California has adopted a stronger, more effective graduated licensing program that includes a requirement of 50 hours of supervised practice driving, including 10 hours of nighttime driving, during the intermediate license stage (NHTSA 2004). New Zealand In 1985, the New Zealand Ministry of Transport proposed a graduated drivers licensing program with the following objectives: To improve the driver preparation of young and inexperienced drivers, To encourage formal training, To encourage learners to acquire safer driving skills and attitudes, To reward safe driving, To eliminate the attractiveness of a motorcycle license before or instead of car license, To make the system simple and easily enforceable, and To create a system that can be continually evaluated (Begg and Stephenson 2002) New Zealand s proposal was designed to address ways of providing better driver training for driving instructors, encouraging learning drivers to have formal driver training, improving the standard of the licensing tests, and developing a GDL system. These strategies were viewed as more constructive than the frequently-advocated alternative of raising the minimum driving age because they tackled the combination of lack of experience and youth. Although a GDL system was seen as the most controversial strategy proposed, it was also considered the one most likely to contribute to improved road safety (Begg and Stephenson 2002). New Zealand introduced a GDL system on August 1, Prior to GDL, teens could apply for a full license at 15 years of age and the application process involved passing written, oral, and practical driving tests. With the introduction of GDL, a three-stage process was introduced: learner license, restricted license, and full license. Teens can apply for the learner license at 15 years of age; to do this, they must pass written, oral, and eyesight tests. With this license, the young driver must be accompanied at all times by a supervisor (parent, 8

25 guardian, or adult). The learner license is held for six months, but the time can be reduced to three months if the learner earns a certificate of competency from a driving instructor. To obtain the second type of license, the restricted license, teens must pass a practical driving test. There are two main conditions to the restricted license: no driving between 10 PM and 5 AM unless accompanied by a supervisor, and no carrying of passengers unless accompanied by a supervisor. The restricted license is held for 18 months, but the time can be reduced to nine months by completing a defensive driving course or an advanced driving course. After completing the restricted licensing stage, teens can apply for the full license. Violations of the GDL conditions can lead to penalties of up to six months additional time under the learner or restricted license (Srinivasan 2002). The introduction of GDL in New Zealand was closely followed by a substantial reduction in crash injuries among all ages: 15- to 19-year-olds (23%), 20- to 24-year-olds (12%), and 25 years and older (16%). The authors argued that the reductions in the 20 years and older age groups suggested that factors other than the GDL were operating to reduce crashes for all ages, and that the reduction associated with the introduction of GDL among the 15 to 19 year age group was likely to be significantly less than 23 percent. They felt that the reduction in injuries to the youngest age group due to GDL could be between 7% (23% minus 16%) and 23% (Srinivasan 2002). Results from New Zealand showed that after GDL was implemented, there was a 23% decrease in hospitalized injuries among the 15- to 19-year-old age group, 12% for the 20- to 24-year-olds, and 16% for those 25 and older. If the assumption is made that the 16% decline evidenced by the 25+ age group represents the decline that would have occurred regardless of whether GDL was implemented, a decline of 7% for the age group was attributed to GDL (Begg and Stephenson 2002). From the results of these evaluations, it seemed that a major impact of GDL was a sharp reduction in the amount of driving by young people, thus reducing their exposure to crash risk. The evidence for this was the sudden decrease in the number of 15-to 19-year-olds with driver s licenses following the introduction of GDL. GDL, therefore, was associated not only with an ongoing decrease in the number of crashrelated injuries to young people, but more importantly with a decrease in the rate per number of licensed drivers. When the study was undertaken, it was not possible to determine whether the actual restrictions of GDL were having an impact on the crash risk or whether this was due to other factors. A further evaluation of GDL was undertaken to try and determine the impact of the driving restrictions on crashes among young drivers (Begg and Stephenson 2002). A database was created linking the police traffic crash reports to the New Zealand Health Information service (NZHIS) hospital inpatient file. For the analyses, the crashes involving a driver licensed pre-gdl were compared with crashes involving a driver with a restricted license and crashes involving a driver with a full license (Begg and Stephenson 2002). General regression models were fitted for each of the restrictions. Gender, age, and year of crash were controlled for in the analyses. The results showed that, compared with the pre- 9

26 GDL drivers, a significantly smaller proportion of the crashes involving a restricted license driver occurred at night (odds ratio.66, p=.003), involved passengers of all ages (odds ratio.73, p=.018), and included suspected alcohol use (odds ratio.72, p=.034). For the results comparing the pre-gdl driver crashes with the full GDL licensed driver, the only significant difference was fewer nighttime crashes among the full GDL drivers (odds ratio.77, p=.04) (Begg and Stephenson 2002). Although the results for the passenger restriction were encouraging, a full evaluation of this restriction was not possible because data on the age of the passengers was only available for those who had been injured (Begg and Stephenson 2002). Oregon In 1989, Oregon began its GDL program. It allows teenagers to get a learner's permit at 15, a provisional license at 16, and a full license at 18. The Oregon program emphasizes restrictions on use of alcohol. Suspensions are imposed for any measurable amount of alcohol for anyone under 21. A minimum one-year suspension is also imposed for anyone under the age of 18 convicted of any alcohol or drug offense, which includes possession and/or blood alcohol content. A minimum one-year suspension is also required for any other major traffic violation (NHTSA 2004). Florida The GDL program in Florida was instituted in 1996 for drivers younger than 18. Drivers holding learner s licenses are restricted from driving between 7 pm and 6 am. Learner s licenses are held for six months before drivers are eligible for an intermediate license. Nightime driving restrictions for 16 year-olds with intermediate licenses are from 11 pm to 6 am and for 17 year-olds from 1 to 6 am. Drivers younger than 18 have a limit on the number of violations that they can accumulate and drivers younger than 21 are subject to a zero tolerance law for drinking and driving. Crash data for Florida teenage drivers from 1995 to 1997 was compared with crash data from Alabama, who did not have a GDL program in place. A 9% reduction in fatal and injury crashes resulted for the age group 15 to 17 years after implementation of GDL. No reduction was noted for 18 year-old drivers (Ulmer et al. 2000). Nova Scotia Mayhew et al. (2003) examined month-to-month changes in collisions among new drivers in Nova Scotia prior to enactment of a GDL program. They calculated crash rate per driver and evaluated novices (drivers from 6 to 24 months after first licensing) in age groups and 20 and older. A regression model indicated that, among novice drivers, the crash rate for 10

27 younger novice drivers was significantly higher during the first few months of driving alone than it was for older novice drivers. They also found that both age groups had a reduction in crash rate as experience increased. Both groups experienced a significant decline in crashes during the first seven months after licensing, but the decrease was larger for novice drivers. 2.3 Compliance with GDL Restrictions (Surveys from Other States) GDL programs are usually well received by the public and by parents, in particular. Several surveys have been conducted in other states about how well GDL programs are received. Public Opinion A 1996 public opinion poll conducted by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that nearly three out of four respondents favor limiting the use of cars by 15- to-20- year-olds until they gain sufficient driving experience. In 1995, the Public Attitude Monitor, an annual poll conducted by the Insurance Research Council, asked respondents to rate various suggestions for reducing auto crashes among young drivers. A graduated driver licensing program was considered a "good" or "excellent" idea by nearly 45% of all respondents, while 75% of parents of teenagers liked the idea. Nighttime driving restrictions and zero alcohol tolerance were also highly favored. Interestingly, nearly half of all respondents thought raising the driving age to 18 was a "good" or "excellent" idea (the rate was 60% for parents of teenagers) (NHTSA 2004). Parents Most parents recognize that teen drivers are at risk, no matter how "good" their children otherwise might be. Support for graduated driver licensing and its components is generally high among parents of teenagers (NHTSA 2004). Parents strongly support graduated driver licensing, despite some minor inconveniences to themselves. More importantly, graduated driver licensing gets parents more involved by asking them to ensure that their children get enough supervised driving practice. The longer period of supervised driving gives parents and teens plenty of opportunities not only to practice but also to discuss driving skills, attitudes and behaviors. Parents also may feel more secure once their teens are fully licensed because they have more experience and maturity to handle difficult situations on the road (NHTSA 2004). Interviews with 1,253 parents of teens in North Carolina s GDL system indicated that they felt a full year was a reasonable period to require adult supervision of beginning drivers (Foss and Goodwin 2003). When asked specifically about the duration of the learner permit phase, 82% of parents indicated that 12 months is "about right;" 11% said it is not long enough. Interestingly, although parents endorse passenger restrictions less strongly than nighttime driving restrictions, many states have implemented highly limiting passenger restrictions. During 2002, 10 states allowed no young passengers to ride with an unsupervised driver during the first several months (usually 6) of unsupervised driving. Most 11